Serves 4

Here is my obligatory Cinco de Mayo post, since the food bloggers’ union requires one. I posted guacamole last year and 9 layer dips are just ubiquitous so I don’t want to bother with that.

Tequila Grilled Chicken

1½ tsp cumin seeds
4 chicken breast halves
2 T lime or lemon juice  (since limes are so expensive now)
2 T avocado oil or olive oil
3 T gold Tequila
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon or lime zest
3/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Optional, but really good
3/4 – 1 C grated Jack cheese, with or without jalapeños
2 poblano peppers, grilled, seeded and skinned
1 red onion, sliced and grilled
You can include some zucchini and portabella mushrooms too.

Toast the cumin seeds until fragrant and just starting to smoke.

The difference in flavor between toasted and untoasted cumin is more than enough to warrant the extra step

Cool and grind.  Combine with the juice, oil, tequila and spices. Marinate the chicken in the mixture for a few minutes to a few hours.  If you marinate it too long the acid in the marinade with start to cook the breasts (break down the proteins) and could wind up being mushy.

(If you are going to serve this with the optional grilled veggies start them first.)

Grill the tequila chicken for about 4 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the other. The timing really depends on your grill.

Topped with grilled poblanos, red onions and a generous sprinkle of pepper jack

Top with the poblanos, onions and jack cheese the last 2 minutes and cook until the cheese has melted. Grilled portobello mushrooms would be nice with this also.

Served with Mixed Greens with Blue Cheese Dressing and of course Guacamole